What’s new at this year’s Kansas State Fair?

One of the things that makes the Kansas State Fair fun each year is that attendees know what they can count on.

They’ll always find the petting zoo and the camel rides. They’ll always get to see baby pigs in the Birthing Center and fluffy bunnies in the rabbit barn. Oscar the Robot will be there, and so will giant pumpkins and free yardsticks.

But finding something new is also fun, and this year, the fair will have several new acts, fresh ideas and fun activities, exhibits and contests that haven’t happened before.

Here’s a guide to what’s new at the 2016 Kansas State Fair, which opens on Friday in Hutchinson:

▪ New butter sculptor, live butter sculpting: Longtime Kansas State Fair butter sculptor Sharon BuMann retired at the end of last year’s fair, but there’s a new one. Sarah Pratt, a butter sculptor out of Iowa, took over the job, and she’s changing some of the longtime traditions. BuMann liked to work in private and keep her subject matter secret, revealing it when her sculpture went on display the first day of the fair. But Pratt, who has been the sculptor at the Iowa State Fair for 12 years, will work on her sculpture during the fair for the first few days, and fairgoers can watch her in action. The butter sculpture is in the Pride of Kansas building.

▪ The ultimate dog show: Every year, the fair books a fun act that performs several times daily in Gottschalk Park. This year, the performers are pups. “Jump! The Ultimate Dog Show,” is a production billed as “the X-games for dogs.” People who get a seat will see a variety of dogs performing stunts timed to music – stunts like dock diving, trick Frisbee, hurdle racing and more. The dogs will perform daily at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

▪ Buck Trout: A roving entertainer always joins Oscar the Robot each year, and this time, it’s Buck Trout – a buck-toothed puppet that wheels around in a tiny truck, telling silly stories and interacting with the crowd. He’ll move about the fairgrounds each day.

▪ Barn Quilt competition: Barn quilts aren’t quilts at all. Rather, they’re painted squares that look sort of like quilts and commonly adorn the sides of barns, silos and other farm outbuildings. This year, the fair added a barn quilt contest. Though real barn quilts are usually at least 4-by-4 feet, those entering the new contest were asked to create a 2-by-2 version. The winning barn quilt will get a permanent display space on the fairgrounds. Entries can be viewed throughout the fair in the Pride of Kansas building.

▪ New food competitions: Judges in the Domestic Arts building, where the best pies, jams and jellies receive their blue ribbons, will add a few categories this year. The best ice cream toppings will be chosen on Sept. 17. And a flavored popcorn winner will be named on Sept. 15. Judges will choose winners in three categories: original, flavored and kettle corn.

▪ Ag passport: This is a new program designed to get fairgoers more educated about agriculture. People can pick up their free Ag Passports at the Birthing Center, Milking Parlor, Agriculture Department in the Pride of Kansas building, Ag Central in Ad Astra Pavilion, or the Kansas Honey Booth in the Pride of Kansas building. Children who visit all five ag stops and show their completed passports to the fair administration office get a prize.

▪ Mushroom truck: The fair rarely loses a food vendor, which means it rarely adds any. But this year, there are a couple of new food purveyors, including a food trailer from Missouri called Fungal Fusion. It will serve mushroom creations, including some with the coveted morel mushrooms. The truck will be set up at 306 Pride of Kansas Ave.

This story was originally published September 8, 2016 at 11:29 AM with the headline "What’s new at this year’s Kansas State Fair?."